Objective:
To determine the susceptibility of commercial geranium (Pelargonium) cultivars to bacterial wilt caused by Ralsonia solanacearum, and whether certain plants may act as asymptomatic hosts; to determine whether susceptibility is correlated with genetic relatedness of the host cultivar; to determine the susceptibility of other greenhouse-grown ornamental crops to Ralstonia solanacearum; to compare isolates of the bacterium from different outbreaks to correlate with geographic origin; to determine freeze survival of the bacterium in soil; to investigate chemical control measures; and to identify genes associated with the survival and pathogenicity at different temperatures, evaluate pathogen populations in relation to their ability to cause pathogenicity to agricultural crops at various temperatures and determine potential environmental fate and movement in the United States.

Approach:
An empirical approach will be used to examine the genetic and physiological capability of exotic strains of bacterial wilt to access their ability to become established and spread within U.S. agriculture. Once introduced Ralstonia solanacearum is know historically to be spread via river systems. The project will further address the survival of distinct genetic populations in various water types and assess the ability to infect and survive under different temperature regimes.